April 6, 2026
MA Special Legislative Commission to Study the Future of Payments
& Sales Transactions by Credit Card
When: Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 11:00 am – 4:00pm
Where: Gardner Auditorium at the State House, and Virtual via Microsoft Teams
Registration is required to provide oral testimony, either in person or online. Those wishing to register must complete this form. Individuals who have registered to testify will receive further instructions on how to participate. The deadline to register is Monday, April 6th at 11:00am.
Written testimony is encouraged and will continue to be accepted until July 31, 2026. Written testimony may be submitted electronically via e-mail to the following: [email protected]. Please include “Credit Card Commission Testimony” in the subject line of the email, as well as your name, address, phone number, and organization, if any, on the submitted testimony.
You may contact Commission staff with any questions by email at [email protected] or [email protected] or by calling 617-722-2220
****
Credit and Debit Card ‘Swipe’ Fees Cost a Record $198.25 Billion in 2025
As a RAM member, a retailer, restauranteur, auto service shop or any other type of seller, you know this story. You know well the challenges that small businesses face every day and the compounding effect that the ever-increasing interchange and swipe fees have on your ability to run your business and stay competitive. The Commission was established, by law, in response to RAM and others’ continued legislative push to eliminate the statutory prohibition on surcharging a customer that elects to pay by credit card, and to expose the overall swipe fee crisis. RAM was named to a seat on the Commission. And now to help make the case for solutions, we need to set the stage.
The Commission needs to hear from YOU.
There are solutions that the Commonwealth can explore and act on, such as:
- Repeal the prohibition on surcharging/convenience fees – allow merchants to pass on the processing costs to the credit card purchaser (just like the state does at the DOR, RMV, etc.)
- Eliminate interchange fees on sales taxes and tips – follow Illinois’ lead in eliminating the swipe fee penalty on merchants who collect taxes on behalf of the state or tips on behalf of their employees – both revenues that the merchant does not retain.
- Establish a Chargeback Bill of Rights – both merchants and consumers deserve rights when facing or disputing a credit card chargeback.
This first step in the Commission’s process is to hear from consumers and businesses just like you, about your experiences, history, interactions and challenges in this space.
We need you to tell your story. To read the full member alert, click here.
RAM Encourages Member Participation in the
MA Employee Survey (MES)
The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) is currently conducting the Massachusetts Employee Survey (MES), a biennial survey that asks a representative sample of Massachusetts employers to share their experiences and challenges in offering health insurance and related benefits to their employees. The MES tracks and monitors employer health insurance offerings, employee take-up rates, health insurance premiums, employer contribution amounts, plan characteristics, and employer decision making. The information generated by this critical survey is an important way to make sure those involved in the decision-making process understand what is truly happening in our retail community.
RAM encourages any members who receive this survey to take the time to fill it out. The survey is by invitation only; if you have been invited to take the survey, learn more and get started at mahealthsurveys.gov/mes.
|
